Ultralight Backpacking Gear: Best Weigh To Go!

Ultralight backpacking gear (UL) is aimed squarely at backpackers who want to shave time and effort off their hikes.

Their motto: "Fractions of ounces matter".

This type of hiking appeals to a minimalist, someone who wants to go fast and light without being burdened by creature comforts.

This is in contrast to a traditional backpacker who, from the UL perspective, is a plodder carrying way too much weight.

Ultralight backpacking equipment is designed to ease the anxiety of any hiker who has a particular base pack weight target to achieve.

Pause for a definition:

Base pack weight = backpack + what's in and on it, minus food, water, fuel or anything else consumed over the duration of the hike.

To be considered lightweight, base pack weights need to stay around
(or under, which is the target of fierce competition) 20 pounds, or ~ 9
kg.

Ten pounds (4.5 kg) is the maximum target weight for an ultralight backpacker.

NOTE: These weights are for U.S. hikers, and the numbers vary depending on where you are and who you're talking to.

These
gear weights are astounding for someone like me who started backpacking
in the late 1970's, carrying up to one third of her body weight in
heavy gear. That worked out to 40+ pounds!

Let's take a stroll (because we're going fast and light, rather than heavy and burdened) through what sets ultralight backpacking equipment apart from the regular stuff.

Fast and light hiking: historical origins

One of the first people to notice that traveling light was the way to hike was Emma Gatewood. Her late-in-life Appalachian Trail adventures make me proud to be in the female hiker clan.

A climber (among other things) named Ray Jardine receives most of the media credit for the origins of the ultralight backpacking equipment philosophy, which makes sense coming from a guy who defied, and defeated, gravity again and again.

He's got an entire product line of gear you can make yourself to shave off ounces (or grams) left and right...

Hikers need way more calories than that, because they're working hard regardless of how much the backpack weighs.

Weight on your feet "costs" you more effort than properly distributed weight on your back. Hiking boots -vs- trail shoes is a discussion you need to have with yourself.

All of these facts lead to a hiker's natural curiosity about how to reduce the weight of your backpacking gear.

Which leads us to considering whether or not ultralight backpacking gear is a good choice for your trail time.

Ultralight gear

What kind of backpacking gear delivers function and form without a lot of annoying gravitational tugging?

A sarcastic hiker might respond: expensive gear, that's what!

Indeed, it takes some coin to purchase the highest end lightweight backpacking equipment, but it could be the best investment you ever made if it spares you a sore back and gives you more time to explore the backcountry.

If you adhere to the RayWay of Mr. Jardine, you should be sewing your own lightweight hiking gear which saves weight!

He even gives you sewing tips on the link I shared above.

Some gear stores will rent the backpacking gear, something I highly recommend before making an investment in any hiking equipment that has a high price point.

This company, ULA Equipment, offers great ultralight packs with really interesting features, and they do business in a unique way:

All of their gear is manufactured in house, and shipped free, in the United States;

Their gear is only available through the company, so all packs are in stock and ready to ship;

Gear is designed by hikers who know how to tackle a trail when weight matters;

They provide expert fitting advice via Skype and digital photos so you'll be satisfied with the fit.

At the very least, read what some of the gear testers have to say about lightweight gear, and then decide if you need to be a fanatic about weight or are just trying to shed a few pounds of pack weight.

Read on for a little advice on how to avoid feeling intimidated if you're just wading into the world of ultralight backpacking gear, and why going lighter and lighter is kind of a silly way to frame things for a hiker.

And here's a great choice for your hiking bookshelf as you evolve, or dive into, ultralight backpacking gear:

Slow down a bit!

I caution you to avoid getting sucked into the black hole of shaving off ounces along with a wide margin of safety and comfort.

It's great to lighten up, but not at the risk of you getting back to the trailhead in one piece.

Your base weight is a non-negotiable number for comfort and safety.

Caching
supplies along your long trail is of course the best way to lighten
your load, as long as you've plotted your course carefully, factored in
"oops" days so you don't have to forego food or water, and vowed to
stick to your plan once you're on the trail.

This includes gear replacement, such as hiking shoes, socks, and stove fuel.

You
could also map out resupply opportunities, factoring into account
shorter store hours in rural communities, holidays and week-ends, and
how much effort it will be to arrive there.

UL gear companies

Now consider which gear you can afford to switch over to ultralight.

I have done this, one big item at a time, over several years, and found it to be a nice gradual transition that doesn't shock my check book.

Accept the irony that less is going to cost more.

But UL backpacking gear will make you smile more when you hoist your backpack.

Tip:

Expect the names of the ultralight backpacking gear companies to be different than the usual suspects.

Several companies specialize in lightweight hiking equipment to appeal to a select group of hikers.

Ultralight gear - does it make sense for your needs?

Only you can decide whether or not to invest time, brain power and money into lightening up your pack.

No matter where you decide to shed weight, please realize that you're way ahead of where hikers were just a few decades ago.

Take small steps to trim the weight of your hiking gear, and never pass up a chance to ask questions, pick up someone's pack and mentally weigh it against yours (with permission, of course), or read about what other hikers are doing.

Send any questions my way.

I don't claim the title of ultralight backpacker (yet), but I am definitely making an effort to go lighter each season as I replace my worn out hiking equipment (beyond ziploc bags acting as stuff sacks, and ditching my heavy tent).

I love to talk about the merits, and drawbacks, of ultralight backpacking gear.

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